Reunion
by Zaerith Vrinn
Summary: After James Tiberius Kirk dies, he wakes up aboard the Enterprise one more time. But something isn't right. Why is everyone younger? Why is there a younger version of him there? Is Spock here too? IS this their last chance to be together? Slash K/S


**Author's note: **Takes place after Star Trek: 2009, but also crosses over slightly with Star Trek Generations, and light nods to Star Trek the Final Frontier however it is not entirely necessary to have watched either one. Written for all Spirk fans out there!**  
Warning: **Space/time travel and Spock x Kirk (Young), Spock x Kirk (Elder)**  
Disclaimer: **Space…The Final Frontier…This is the pledge of fans everywhere…to seek out new fandoms and new slash pairings, and to boldly go where no fan has gone before.

Reunion

Captain James Tiberius Kirk of the Starship Enterprise had always believed… had always known that he was going to die alone as once he had told Spock and McCoy. But his adventure in the Nexus which had both brought him back in time and then eighty years in the future had made him realize that it wasn't what he wanted. So he was a little relieved for the company of Captain Piccard in his last moments, but he was still saddened by the lack of his friends.

He smiles at Piccard, trusting this man with the ship that shared the name with his own, as he fades into eternity, where he hopes to see his friends once more.

But it was not eternity he awoke to.

--

"He's stable." McCoy said as the rapid beeping from the machine nearby slowed to a steady bleep.

"Does he have any ID?" Sulu asked, "He has the Starfleet insignia, but I have never seen a uniform like that before."

"I don't see any," The doctor replied standing up, "but we don't you ask him yourself, he's waking up."

Indeed the man that had mysteriously appeared on a one-man shuttle aimlessly though space had started to stir. "Piccard…?" He groaned, thinking perhaps that he had survived his injury. He tried to sit up, but was pushed back down with familiar hands.

"Easy there, you'll open that wound back up, and I just finished getting you in on piece." Said an equally familiar voice.

"McCoy?" He asked trying to sit up again.

He was pushed back down again, and as his eyes tried to focus found himself look at a yet again familiar countenance. Only this time, the face was younger and not as dark from years of arguments with Spock. However as McCoy looked at him there was no hint of recognition, only confusion. "Have we met?" he asked.

"I…I…where are we? What's the Star-date?" Jim asked about to sit up again, but thinking better of it.

"You're on the Starship Enterprise." McCoy answered, "The star-date is-" he didn't finish as the door suddenly opened with a swish.

"Any news on the…"the newcomer said, and Jim looked up startled, recognizing the voice, but in a much different matter. His mouth dropped slightly at the sight of his own reflection. Well, this man was definitely younger than himself, but unless it was his son that he never recalled having, there was no doubt that this man was indeed a younger version of himself. "Oh," he said, "McCoy, Sulu you are relieved, I wish to talk to this man alone."

"Yes captain." The two men said, though McCoy gave him _that_ look as they left. Jim tried not to smile at the familiarity.

The two James T. Kirks were alone, and the younger one sat down, remaining silent for a moment, before he looked up and staring him in the eyes spoke, "Your name…" he said unsurely, "Wouldn't happen to be…James Tiberius Kirk," Their gazes were locked tight, "would it?"

The older man stared at him in surprise, "How did you…?" he breathed.

The other Kirk nodded, "You look, just like my father, and mom didn't have any other kids but…" he glanced around as if thinking there might be someone eavesdropping, then he leaned forward, "Spock Prime said you died."

"Spock…Prime…?" he repeated, he sat up, and with no McCoy to push him back down, remained there, "Spock is here!?" he cried with surprise.

His younger self hushed him, "Careful," he said, "Not everyone knows there's two Spocks, and we've been trying to keep it that way." He explained, "Now, there's two of me too." he added with a disbelieving and confused tone.

_'T'hy'la'_ Spock's voice echoed in his mind. "Where is he?" he asked sounding almost too eager to see his friend.

"…" his younger self made no immediate reply, until he got up and grabbed a small electronic device that created a hologram of the known universe of the time. The young Kirk pointed to a planet not far from Earth, "They established a colony here, after Vulcan was destroyed, but I think Spock may actually be on Earth still."

"What?" the older Kirk asked, and was quickly summarized the tragic story of Nero's destruction of Vulcan to avenge a Romulus that the future Spock had failed to save.

"Could you-" Kirk senior started, but his younger self appeared to already know what he was about to request.

"We're headed to Earth now," he said, "I knew who you were when I saw you, I recognized you from a mind meld Spock Prime showed me," the younger of them smirked, "He told us all about your adventures together, sounded like you were really close. I knew that we should get you two together again."

Kirk's pulse quickened and a smile was at his lips, thankful that his younger self understood what he would have wanted.

"Just rest up, seeing how…uh, 'happy' Spock Prime was to see _me_, I can imagine how he'd react to you."

Kirk laughed quietly, "You have no idea." He said, the twenty-five year old Jim gave him a strange look, but his elder version refused to answer when he asked what that meant.

--

Sure enough, Spock Prime was still on Earth when they arrived, and thanks to the young McCoy, Kirk was in fit shape when they arrived. He saw him in a bar, a brandy to his lips, listening to a bartender chat him up about the recent goings on. Kirk at first thought it was Spock's father he was looking at, but when the Vulcan turned around there was no mistaking that face, no matter what age, or tragic alternate realities, had done to him. The same seemed to be true for himself as well, for the moment Spock turned around and saw him the half Vulcan stood up, almost as if he did not believe what he was seeing.

The bar was relatively empty for some reason as they took slow steps, then quicker ones towards each other. The young versions of the Enterprise crew watched them as they finally stood face to face, an arm's reach from each other. There was a silence as neither of them appeared to believe the other was really there.

"It's been a…long time Jim." Spock said aloud, finally breaking the stillness.

Kirk's face brightened into a smile and he reached out as if to hug his friend, but pause halfway there, thinking better of it, knowing how private Vulcans could be in public, and chose instead to pat his arm tenderly.

It was Spock who surprised the onlookers by pulling his once and forever captain into an affectionate embrace. Holding him close and tight, Spock appeared to be almost afraid that if he let go his Jim would disappear into time and space once more. The sight was moving even to those who did not know the two were friends. The hug seemed to last forever.

"T'hy'la." Spock whispered into Kirk's ear. The other man whimpered and hugged the Vulcan back, with tears threatening to start rolling from his eyes. Only the young captain of the Enterprise had been close enough to hear the word uttered between the two of them.

Uhura's eyes started to sting with the beauty of the scene, and she reached out to take the young Spock's hand, only to find he was no longer next to her. The Half-Vulcan had moved to the side of the younger Jim, plainly in wonder at the intimacy his older self was showing to the older version of Kirk, for Vulcan's did not usually let such trust be shown in public. The two young men glanced at each other, for neither had been quite sure they believed that they could ever be as close friends as Spock Prime had told them they would be. Now, however, the evidence was right before their eyes, and they silently promised that they would not deny such trust to themselves.

"I want to go home." Kirk whispered, as the two of them let go of each other.

"How?" Spock Prime asked with a rare Vulcan smile.

Kirk's smile made all the onlookers feel warmer, "We'll find a way. We always did."

They shook hands; the sight was so beautiful it make hearts melt at the mere thought of having someone trust them half as much as these two aged men trusted each other. Spock put an arm around Kirk's shoulder, "Indeed we did Jim."

--

Finally leaving the old friends to catch up in private, the Enterprise crew spread out to rest and re-supply. Spock sat aboard the Enterprise, wondering about the trust shared between the elder versions of himself and Jim. It was very deep, much deeper then he had anticipated based of his calculations from his elder's description and even deeper then he suspected his relationship with Uhura would go. The door opened suddenly, and he looked up to see Jim entering.

"Hey…" The captain said casually as he sat beside him, there was a moment of awkward silence between them before Jim asked suddenly, "What does 'T'hy'la mean?"

The question startled the Vulcan, "Excuse me?" He stated.

"I assume its Vulcan." Jim said, "What does it mean? Or am I wrong about the language?"

Spock stared at him, "Your assumption of the word's origin is correct." He answered, "The word is a Vulcan term of affection used to mean 'friend', 'brother', but more commonly used among lovers as identification, like some Earth cultures use, 'soul mate'." The captain looked at him with a slightly confused gaze, "Generally speaking, the word means, 'you are the one who is most important in my life'." The first officer clarified.

Jim's gaze lowered to the floor, "I see…" he said, though he still sounded confused, his confusion, however, peeked Spock's curiosity.

"May I inquire as to why you asked?" he posed, lifting his right eye brow.

"It's nothing." Jim responded, then sighed as the Vulcan continued to scrutinize him, "When we brought…um, 'us' back together, I heard 'you' call 'me' that." he finally answered truthfully.

This made the Vulcan's eyebrow come up again, "Fascinating." He said simply.

"Fascinating?" Jim repeated.

"Can you think of a better word?" Spock asked.

The captain looked up as though to reply, but instead was silent, they both remembered the complete, undoubting trust that their elder counterparts had shared, and their silent promise not to allow themselves to live without it.

"So that's who we become then?" Jim asked reaching out his hand for Spock.

The Vulcan nodded, "Vulcan's only have one T'hy'la, if that is truly what I called you, then perhaps we were destined to become friends even when we first met." Spock replied taking Jim's hand in his own as he had once done with Uhura's.

The kiss that followed was brief, and for a moment they felt that complete trust that their future selves had demonstrated, and experienced a moment of Déjà vu, feeling for certain that this was truly what they were together for.

At the same time the pulled back and turned away, Jim stood up and quietly left.

It may have been destiny, and it may happen eventually, but for now, they were not ready for that trust.

**Author's end note:** I am a Spirk fan undoubtedly, and this was written because I'm not big on the Spock/Uhura thing (Personally I've always liked Scotty/Uhura), but I will allow fans of that pairing to have their fics if they let me have mine.

**Editor's Note: **Gah! Okay if any of you thought that was confusing, I totally hear you. Zae says, she made as obvious which Jim and which Spock where which, but I still got completely lost at some parts. Anyway, if you find spelling or grammar errors that I may have missed due to the confusion induced migraine I got, please inform us right away. Leave nice reviews and no flames.


End file.
